Overshine
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day 1072b: Already to have Puck show up on her doorstep is something, but it's what he's come to see Rachel for. - Sunshine Girls series


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 51st cycle. Now cycle 52!_

* * *

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: Steps 44-53, Breathe & Push, chapter 1._

* * *

**"Overshine"  
Quinn, Rachel, Puck, Puck/Rachel, Finn/Quinn, baby Nora (aka Beth)  
Sunshine Girls series  
_(all series now listed under the communities tab in my profile)_  
**

Rachel looked to Sunday as her last chance to get things ready for the week that would begin the next day. She had been checking things off of her to-do list all morning, and as far as she could tell it was a very productive day. She was good and in her zone when the doorbell rang, and it took her a moment to remember her fathers weren't home, so she made a dash for the door and pulled it open.

"Sorry, I forgot I was… alone," her voice was snuffed out with surprise to find her ex on her doorstep. "Hi…"

"Can I come in?" Puck asked.

"What are you doing here?" she asked curious and, remembering what she was wearing, she discreetly ducked behind the door. Puck took this as an invitation to come in though, and so she was stuck.

"I need your help to talk to Quinn." Somehow knowing this wasn't about them helped her relax, though at the same time it led to…

"What about Quinn?"

"You know," he looked back to her.

She did. As much as Quinn was keeping a brave front, she was getting overwhelmed in caring for baby Nora, for the most part by herself. She wasn't sleeping well, and it was affecting her school work, more and more. She wasn't the polished ex-cheerleader either. She'd do her best to keep herself together, but it was clear that, with the lack of sleep, it made it hard to hang on to it.

"I've tried to help her, I do… But she wants to do things herself, even Finn said it, and you've seen it, too, so if you've got an idea…"

"I want to take Nora," he told her, and she blinked. "Not permanently, I wouldn't do that to her, just a little while, so she can pull herself together. Look, she's my daughter, too, and Quinn's not helping her if she's coming apart. I want to help her, and take care of my daughter. I hardly get to see her already." He paused, then, "She'll hear me out better if you're there… Please, if you won't do it for me, then do it for Quinn, and for Nora." She blinked, feeling her breath catch.

"I know that I was the one to break up with you, but don't you… ever… mistake that for me not caring for you or being able to help, Noah… Not ever," her voice trembled, and she had to take paces and regroup. "I'll go get changed and we'll go to Quinn's house," she went up to her room, shutting the door before she could press her forehead to it and try to get herself together, to keep from crying. She had to get it together so she could go over there and help Quinn, who did need them.

The car ride was silent, and they hadn't said a word to one another since she'd gone up to change. When they got to the house, Judy let them in, with a look on her face like she may not know exactly what they were here to do, but she knew it was to help her daughter, and she was all for that. They weren't sure what they expected to find, disaster, a mess, but it wasn't what they found, at the very least not as severely as they would have thought. When they got to Quinn's room, which doubled as a nursery, things were actually very peaceful; they usually found it this way though.

Quinn was very good with Nora, and the little girl responded to her mother's voice like it was the great soothing miracle of the world. And between that and the fairly clean environment, it was hard to imagine that despite all this Quinn looked to the world like she was in over her head. When they got to the room, they found her sitting on her bed with Nora cradled in her arms as she hummed to her. There was a smile on her face that just made it clear for all to see how completely in love she was with her daughter.

"Quinn?" Rachel spoke and the blonde looked up. When she saw not just her but Puck as well, she was surprised.

"What's going on, what's…" Her face blanched for a moment. "Is it… Did something happen to Finn?" she asked.

"No, no, he's fine," Rachel promised, calming her. "The reason we're here is, well… We're concerned about you."

"Me?" she asked, like she couldn't see why.

"You look like you haven't been sleeping well, a-and your clothes…"

"I have a baby, what did you expect, full night's rest and fashion shows?" Quinn gave a sort of half-smile.

"You don't have to do it alone," Puck spoke up. "There's Finn, and Rachel… and me. I'm her father, you know. I can take care of her, too, you know I will." He came up and sat on the edge of the bed, facing her. "Let me take her, a few days, or a week, so you can take care of yourself," he told her, but she was already shaking her head.

"She needs me…"

"I'm not saying like I'll keep her from you. But you need your rest. This will be good for her, too, and I think you know that. I think you'd do whatever it takes to make sure she's taken care of. And I know I can be that for her, I want to be… I'm not going to be a stranger to my own kid…"

"You're not," Quinn promised, sniffling. He had been visiting as regularly as he could, and there was no doubt in anyone's mind that she properly lit up when she saw him. She knew him as she knew her mother, as someone who loved her so deeply.

"So let me help you. Let me take care of her for a few days, so you can rest." Quinn looked down to the girl sleeping in her arms so peacefully. She had fallen asleep just as they were talking. Rachel and Puck watched the young mother as he considered everything, and it was like watching as she finally felt her own exhaustion, realized she had been carrying the weight of it without knowing it was there.

"Okay…" her voice was small. "Can I take her to your place by tonight?" she asked, and Puck nodded. "Do you have everything?" she breathed.

"Some but not all. I'll get it by tonight though, I promise. I've been reading books and stuff, for the things that don't just come naturally, you know?" he told her, and both girls smiled at this.

"Need a hand?" Rachel spoke up, and Puck looked back to her. Their eyes met, and there was a quiet moment.

"If you're not busy with your Sunday list," he told her with a slow nod, and she smiled again.

"My list can wait."

As Puck went down stairs, Quinn stood, putting Nora in her crib, and came up to her friend. "I'll tell him later, but… thank you," she told her, and Rachel hugged her.

"I'll always be there, I swear," she spoke at her ear, and she could feel Quinn's head nod at her shoulder – she knew.

THE END

* * *

******A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.  
****In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are  
************always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!**


End file.
